Vagabonding
by LezBlowShitUp
Summary: Eren finally starts the trip of his dreams despite everyone's warnings to stay in school. He receives a severe reality check on the first day and wonders if he made the wrong decision...Levi thinks otherwise.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan or any of its characters, nor do I make any profits of this fic.

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 **Chapter One: Declare Your Freedom**

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 _Vagabonding_ -noun.

(1) The act of leaving behind the orderly world to travel independently for an extended period of time. (2) A meaningful manner of travel that emphasizes creativity, adventure, awareness, simplicity, discovery, independence, realism, self-reliance, and the growth of the spirit. (3) A deliberate way of living that makes the freedom to travel possible.

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Eren was having a shitty day.

He wanted to throw something, shout at someone, _break_ something _._

Standing in front of a guesthouse restaurant combo he had found on TripAdvisor, Eren took a deep breath, heaving out his frustrations. He needed to eat something besides plane food and go the fuck to bed. It didn't take long to book a room for the night. The woman who helped him had been patient with him, explaining the room options slowly, and taking pity on his fatigue-wrecked brain. She had an impressive grasp of English. He almost felt guilty for never bothering to learn another language. The room had ended up costing a lot more than he anticipated, but Eren was too tired to care. His reckless side had kicked in an gone for comfort over affordability. He figured he deserved it after the day he had.

Two days ago, he had walked out of his crappy apartment with a thirty-two-liter teal Patagonia Black Hole backpack and a pair of black Vans with no plan to come back until the end of the summer. Truthfully, the backpack was designed for bikers, so using it for backpacking might not have been the brightest idea he ever had. Only, Eren had fallen in love with it in the store and just couldn't walk away. The glossy teal pack fit better than all the other bags he had tried on. The straps around his shoulders and waist lay comfortably, without digging into his shoulders or being too itchy on his bare skin.

Eren had been planning to get something a bit bigger, but he figured he'd just bring less stuff. His bag held two pairs of jeans, three t-shirts, a sweatshirt, four pairs of socks, a Dopp kit, his laptop, and an empty Nalgene bottle. Apart from the clothes on his back, his wallet, and the phone in his pocket, that was all he had- and all he _would_ have for the next three months.

This was it. All the possessions he needed in one bag, the total capability to go where he pleased. He was finally doing it. The trip he had dreamed of his entire life. Starting in Thailand, then moving on to Malaysia, Japan and China. He had felt brighter than the fucking sun.

That was before finishing the first part of his journey to Bangkok when everything went to shit. It was a seven-hour flight to London Heathrow Airport where he found out the plane he was meant to transfer to had been delayed for over ten hours. Apparently, the window of the plane was cracked so they needed to find another.

By the time he had finally sat his ass in his window seat, which was not nearly comfortable enough to justify the price of his ticket, there had been an announcement over the speaker in the plane. Their flight crew had been on the clock so long that the airline was legally required to let them off.

So after seventeen hours of travel, he needed to wait for the airline to locate an entirely new flight crew to man the plane.

Eren's body was sore all over, achy from the decompressed plane cabin, and too little movement. There had been a short bout where he had caught some shut eye, but not nearly enough to say that he was rested. It hadn't helped that the flight attendants had rationed water like they were going to run out of the stuff either. Eren practically drank half the water fountain once he touched foot on the ground.

Dragging himself into a guesthouse's restaurant he sagged into a seat, dropping his bag haphazardly onto the chair next to him. The fabric of Eren's cut off jean shorts pulled on a rough piece of wood from his chair. It creaked loudly as he shifted to detach himself and find a position that didn't make his ass want to cry.

His stomach plummeted as he finally got a look at the menu. The characters were indecipherable. His heart began to beat wildly in his chest, face flushing as the panic set in. _What was he going to do? How was he going to get food? He was going to starve..._

Eren nibbled his finger nails anxiously. Worry filled in the creases of his brain.

Maybe Jean was right, this whole trip was a rash idea and he was bound to get into trouble. The negative thoughts flooded in.

He had only been out of Shinganshia a handful of times to visit neighboring towns. Saving for this trip had taken nearly two years. Jean hadn't been very encouraging. Well, that was putting it softly. When he figured out what Eren was planning, he had thrown a fit and told his father. The man had not been pleased. Jean had said he did it because he loved him, but his unwillingness to support him in achieving his dreams had cut deep. Jean had always been there for him in the past when Eren was doing things he approved of, so why couldn't he be there for him now?

They had fallen into a rocky relationship somewhere along the seven-year mark of their friendship and had stayed together for the past three years. Their personalities fit together about as well as oil and water, but there was something Jean did have. He had seen Eren wrung out from pulling all nighters for school, drunk off his ass, and bruised after starting fights he couldn't finish. He had been there when Eren's mother died, seen him at his worst. He _knew_ him.

Eren told him he was leaving as soon as finals ended. Jean had been completely against his plan, going as far as to rope Armin and Mikasa onto his side to grill him about the chances of having a successful career without a University degree. He had given Eren an ultimatum. If he left, their relationship was over. Eren supposed that the terms hadn't been one hundred percent serious. The asshole had been looking for ways to rein Eren in and control him. Still, he should have known better than to try and force Eren into a corner he didn't want to be in or to try and change him.

So Eren left.

Most of Eren's life had been spent in classrooms reluctantly listening to lectures. It wasn't that he hated school. He had friends and clubs which he had participated in. But he was too curious about the world to sit still. Textbooks could only get you so far. He needed to see the world for himself. To be free. Jean had never understood that calling Eren a suicidal bastard anytime he brought those ideas up. He wouldn't let him get in the way of his dreams. Except, when he had imagined backpacking through Asia, delayed flights and unintelligible menus had not been in the picture.

He could almost see Jean taunting at him with that horse-faced expression he always wore when Eren did something dumb. Like that time Eren had gotten pickpocketed when he went to a death metal concert that Jean refused to attend. It was always the same. His smug looks were worse than any 'I told you so" ever could be.

After the first wave of hysteria settled down, the half-asleep rational part of Eren's brain started to kick back in. _Should he just point to something and order?_ At least that way he would get to eat _something._

There was an amused scoff off to the side of the table Eren was seated at. He looked up at the mocking stranger and something in his brain froze when he met dusky mercury eyes. Eren's bleary own eyes took in the milky white skin, black undercut, and freshly pressed clothes. The man was beautiful, like some kind of elven creature straight out of a fantasy novel. There was a worn paperback fit into his left hand. A pale cheek cupped lazily in the other. Slender pale fingers motioned for him to flip his menu over. It took a minute for the glacial state of Eren's brain to register what the mystery man was trying to tell him. Once he did, his flipped the laminated card curiously and his heart nearly stuttered out of his chest at what he saw: words, _English_ words. He knew he must look like someone had just presented him with a baby puppy.

He ordered his food while the stranger dragged a hawkish gaze over him before turning back to his book, flipping a page idly.

There was something about the man that held Eren's interest. He seemed so comfortable sitting there at the table like he was completely at home rather than in some strange country. His meticulous clothes contrasted heavily with the casual atmosphere of the restaurant, but the guy didn't look like he cared one bit. Eren wondered if this man was a serious traveler, like the expats he'd read about online. He didn't really look like the tourist type.

"Is this your first time abroad kid?"

Eren didn't understand that the mystery man was speaking to him right away because his eyes never strayed from the pages of his book. "Um, yeah," he admitted reluctantly.

The Stranger hummed in a deep knowing sound that lit a faint blush along Eren's cheeks. _Was he that obvious?_

"Is that your day pack?"

"My wh..." Eren trailed off. He vaguely recalled the salesman explaining that day packs were meant to be smaller bags which most people used to carry their things . during the day while their main pack stayed locked up in their hostel locker. The brunette followed a pale finger with his eyes only to find his teal Black Hole. "Oh, no this is my only bag."

Something flashed in mercury eyes. The man nodded approvingly, his lips twitched with the smallest of smirks.

Eren chewed his bottom lip between his teeth. "How did you know I never traveled before?"

The stranger shrugged. "You look like you're drowning."

A soft O formed between Eren's pretty pink lips. He licked them slowly as he tried to think of a response.

"Relax brat, you'll be fine."

Carribean blue eyes shot wide in surprise. "You really think so?"

"Mmhmm, trust me." The man's voice set him at ease, loosening the rod of tension in his spine. Eren was too tired to examine the light headed peace of mind blooming over him at those words. It felt different somehow to speak with this person, there was no silent judgment in Levi's eyes berating him for his choices. Maybe this was what all backpackers were like?

When a bowl of noodles was scooted under his nose, his lips tugged into a smile he felt all the way down to his toes. He brought a spoonful of broth to his mouth and poked a tongue out to taste it. The spicy meat flavor of it spread over his taste buds, and Eren felt his entire body physically sigh in relief.

Levi's thin black brow tugged up in amusement at Eren's enthusiasm, a smile threatening to break from the slight turn in his mouth. "Tch, chew with your mouth closed, brat."

"I'm Eren, what's your name," he blurted out, suddenly needing to know more about this man who had somehow made him feel confident after a few minutes of speaking.

There was a brief span of silence where Eren wasn't sure if the man would tell him.

"Levi," he enunciated clearly.

 _Levi._ Eren turned the name over in his mind. It suited him.

"How long are you traveling for?"

Levi straightened his shoulders, leaning back in his chair enough for Eren to get a good look at his flat stomach. He was so pale. The black shirt he was wearing contrast heavily with the whiteness of his skin. "As long as I want." Levi's face was placid, begging Eren to question his words.

Eren sat still, a bit stunned. He tried not to let his reaction show on his face but probably failed miserably if Levi's self-satisfied look was anything to go by.

"Well, how long are you here?"

"At least another week or so. I haven't decided yet."

So he didn't have any set itinerary. No solid plans, no limits... _what a way to live,_ Eren marveled as he slurped noodles into his mouth.

Mercury eyes danced with mirth fixing Eren under their gaze so firmly it made him dizzy. His mind got so lost staring into those glimmering depths that it took a second to realize Levi had said something else.

"Huh?" Eren's brows knit in confusion, head feeling foggy.

"You alright there brat? You're not on something are you?"

"Sorry," he rubbed his eye sockets. "I'm just beat."

"What wore you out so bad you can't think right?"

He didn't exactly mean to, but Eren ended up telling Levi everything that had happened to him since he left Shinganshina. The story poured out of him before he could stop it, but the older man didn't look like he minded. He nodded along as Eren described the many troubles he had faced that day.

"So your family and friends don't approve of you traveling then?"

The brunette huffed, tugging on the ends of his wild hair. "No, not really."

"And they think you should– what, finish school and settle down in a nice suburb somewhere close to home?"

Eren winced. "Yeah, you pretty much hit it on the nose." That was a life Jean would have been happy to support, but it was the opposite of what Eren wanted. He was determined to chase every thread of adventure that blew into his life. He had never been to Thailand before, and he was absolutely not going to go back to University until he had.

"And now since you had a rough start to your trip, you're wondering if everything they said was right, and this whole thing was a dumb-ass idea?"

Ocean-blue eyes widened, mouth falling agape. "What the fuck?" He scanned the older man suspiciously. "Are you actually a serial killer who's been studying my every move before you decide to strike?"

"I'm not going to hurt you brat," Levi snorted. "Shit, it's not my fault your eyes are so fucking expressive."

He tried to swallow the lump which had abruptly formed in his throat.

"Do you think you could be happy living a life-like that?"

Eren glanced up in wonderment. No one had ever asked him that before, this part of the conversation always turned into a lecture about growing up and facing the _real world._

To Eren, freedom meant the ability to go anywhere at any time. He wanted to wake up in the morning with no idea of what lay ahead. To go about his days discovering new things and with no obligations tying him to one place on the map. Living a life with a regular nine to five job, a home and a family would ruin him. "No." The words felt heavy. Final somehow.

Levi nodded. "Then who gives a fuck what your friends say if they don't care about what will make you happy."

"I–I guess you're right." A warm fuzzy feeling pooled in his tummy.

"Damn straight."

When the waitress came back around Eren was busy shoveling the last of his noodles into his mouth. Levi waved her over and tucked several folded bills into her hand.

"You didn't have to do that," he protested.

Levi gave him a flat look. "Don't worry about it." He stood up, folding a fabric bookmark between the pages of his paperback before tucking it into his back pocket. Eren followed him without thinking, grabbing his bag and swinging it over his shoulder.

"I didn't mean to make you feel bad for me or anything." Eren hurried behind the older man as he headed down a hall separating the guesthouse from the restaurant. "I can pay for my own stuff, you know?" It was only partially true because he had blown his budget for the day on his room.

Levi stilled, turning back, his gaze sweeping Eren's body up and down. A lascivious smirk spread over his lips, voice dropping an octave. "And I can make sure little brats like you are fed and taken care of if I want."

Eren felt the suggestion in those cryptically illusive words. "Hmm, _are_ you going to take care of me, old man?"

Levi took two steps forward, bending close. Pushing him up against the wall, trapping Eren in between his arms. His body was responding to the closeness on its own. Levi's smell took over his senses. His cool fingertips brushed the brunette's jawline, cupping the soft flesh in his palm. "I don't know _Eren_ , are you going to be good and let me?"

Feeling Levi's breath ghosting across his skin, the sound of his name curling off the man's tongue for the first time, Eren's breath hitched in his throat. The older man's smirk stretched wider at the sound.

"Well, brat?" He cocked his head.

Eren swallowed a shudder as Levi's thumb ran over his bottom lip. He felt the blush crawl up his neck, burning the tips of his ears.

"You going to let me take care of you?" Levi's voice spilled out like hot silk as he watched Eren from half-lidded mercury orbs.

The brunette felt all the air rush out of his lungs. He was nodding dumbly, unsure of what exactly he was even agreeing to, but it was worth it for the smile that broke out on Levi's face. Not a smirk, or a sneer, an honest to god smile.

"Is that so?" Levi drawled, leaning closer to Eren who realized he had been trapped against the wall. That dangerous mouth spread wide in a grin which both terrified and excited him. The older man dipped closer still until Eren could taste him on the air.

"Wh–What are you doing?" Eren froze, unable to make himself lean back as Levi closed in on him.

"Kissing you goodnight, brat."

He wanted those lips, wanted them more than he could understand. They had just met. Had only spoken for an hour or so. He shouldn't feel this way. It had never been like this before.

"Is that alright?"

Eren whined on instinct, head lolling back against the wall. Levi took it as approval and curved his fingers around the back of Eren's neck, drawing their lips together.

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A/N: Sorry to end it right there. This was getting a lot longer than I wanted. The next chapter will pick up where this one left off.

This fic is in desperate need of a beta, so let me know if you're interested in the job.

If anyone is curious, the bag Eren and Levi both have is on the Patagonia site. I would paste a link here but makes it ridiculously difficult.

Let me know what you all think. How am I doing? A/N: This is my first Attack on Titan fic, so I will do my best to get all of my depictions as close to in-character as possible. Feedback is always welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan or any of its characters, nor do I make any profits of this fic.

A/N: I feel terrible that I forgot to give credit Rolf Potts for the Vagabonding quote from chapter one. The quote is taken from of his book by the same name (Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel). This is a fantastic book that I would recommend anyone interested in backpacking to read.

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 **Chapter Two: Finding Alternative Adventure**

"[H]aving an adventure is sometimes just a matter of going out and allowing things to happen in a strange and amazing new environment—not so much a physical challenge as a psychic one."

 _–Rolf Potts, Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World_

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Levi's mercury eyes held Eren's gaze as their lips folded together slowly.

Things had escalated quickly. Yeah, there had been some flirting—Eren's mouth had operated on its own, responding to Levi's subtle advancements with his own provocative insinuations—but he had not been prepared for the other man to ask permission to kiss him.

Levi was so different. Eren's brain was playing catch up, his breath halted in his lungs, trying to process his encounter with the other traveler. Smooth fingers traced the line of his cheek bone, beckoning Eren to relax. Back home, he had only kissed a few guys besides for Jean, and none of those encounters had gone so swiftly. There had always been time, days or weeks even spent awkwardly testing the waters to see if the other was interested in him. With Levi, there had been none of that. He had told Eren flat out that he wanted to take care of him—whatever that meant. Then, he had asked permission to kiss him, and _damn_ did he ever.

The raven's mouth on his left the taste of earl gray on his tongue, an unexpected flavor which felt too refined to be dirtied with his lips. Eren breathed deeply from his nose, the soothing hints of tea and hot flicks of Levi's tongue over his, made his shoulders sag as he melted into the other. Slowly, he responded, parting his lips, letting Levi kiss him more deeply. Heat pooled in his gut as Levi's tongue dipped into his throat.

Eren twirled his fingers experimentally in the older man's inky black hair finding it softer than expected. The raven hummed a guttural, pleased sound at the touch which made Eren swell with confidence. He wondered why his chest fluttered in satisfaction for having done something this man approved of.

It was all more than he had expected. Better, and hotter than any kisses he had shared in the past. Even with Jean. This near stranger's tongue was making him feel things he hadn't realized even existed.

Levi left Eren's lips to continue exploring the rest of his body, chilly fingers slipped under his t-shirt and thumbed over the hollows above his tanned hips. Goosebumps rose all along his stomach as Levi's fingers trailed over his skin. Eren's pants grew tight, responding forcefully to Levi's teasing hands.

"Levi." There was no response from the boy who just recaptured Eren's mouth, not waiting before he was pushing his tongue in between Eren's lips making it impossible to speak. Those pale hands also moved quickly, one tucking further under Eren's t-shirt seeking out the soft flesh of his belly, and the other finding the bulge in Eren's pants. It was the sound of his zipper being undone that brought Eren out of his pleasure-filled haze.

Eren broke his mouth away for a moment "L–Levi I…" Levi sealed his mouth over the smaller boy's throat, sucking deeply. He seemed to know what Eren was trying to say—was feeling the desire flaring up inside him like a white-hot flame.

"I want to make you feel good, but we need to get somewhere private." Levi was lightly kissing and nipping around his collar bone and pressing his arousal into Eren's hips letting him know just how badly he wanted him.

"I–unh," Eren tried again, cock twitching in pleasure as Levi's mouth found a particularly sensitive area at the nape of his neck was far too distracting. Nevertheless, Levi pulled back a bit. Growling playfully, he lapped at Eren's bottom lip lightly.

"Is that alright brat?"

Eren panted into Levi's shoulder, face red and body slightly shaking. "Mnnn, god yes," he moaned.

Before he could register what was happening, Eren was being lifted into the air and wrapped around Levi's body. He knew they were moving, but the man's mouth on his kept him too distracted to see where. It wasn't until he was being thrown up against another wall that Eren realized they were in one of the guesthouse bedrooms.

 _Levi's room,_ his mind supplied.

A heated devouring mouth closed over his once more, pinning Eren to the door with the intensity of the kiss. His arms wound around a small waist, hoisting him up and pulling Eren flush against his hard chest. The brunette twisted his legs around Levi's hips instinctively, holding on tightly, erection trapped between the press of their bodies. The friction was tortuous.

Levi left his mouth again to trail soft butterfly kisses along Eren's jaw bone before nestling his nose into the boy's messy brown hair. "Hmmm," he murmured thoughtfully. "You need a shower."

"W-what?" Eren stuttered out. His body was crying out with need, wound up completely. How could the other man think of showers at a time like this?

"Your gorgeous ass might have the greenest fucking eyes I've ever seen, but I'm not touching you until you're clean." Levi kneaded the plump cheeks of his ass in his palms as he spoke, pulling a strangled desperate sound out of Eren's mouth. The whine practically bled out from between his lips, beyond his control. His face twisted up and all he could think was _he thinks I'm gorgeous._

"Please, I can't..." It came out breathless. He wanted the other now; waiting didn't feel possible. Things may have started off with a kiss, but he was way beyond that now. He wanted this man. Wanted to feel his naked skin on his, to have Levi fuck him blind. Eren wanted it good and rough. His cock was twitching, desperate for attention.

Levi's lips pinched together, mercury depths raking over Eren's inviting body language. His head was thrown back against the wall, bearing a long, tanned throat in submission. Eren watched through half-lidded, arousal-drunk eyes as the older man seemed to be considering his options.

The raven's conclusion wasn't vocalized, but something shifted in his face before he began to let Eren down from around his waist. He peeled the boy's long limbs from his body, settling him in a standing position on the ground. "Wait here," he commanded.

Eren stood there awkwardly as Levi disappeared into the bathroom for a moment. He wondered if he had done something wrong until the door opened and Levi walked back into the bedroom with a plastic bucket of water filled to the brim with hot soapy water. Eren's mind raced, trying to understand the older man's motives.

Levi signaled for Eren to lay down in his bed, so the brunette complied, shuffling obediently towards the mattress.

The raven caught his shoulder with his free hand. "Uh uh," Levi shook his head at the boy. "Strip." The word sounded through the room with a vulgar ring. Eren's cock had pulsed at the demand, shooting a coil of heat down his spine. He squealed, now beet red. A lick of fear worked its way down his spine reminding him that he did not know this person–not really. They had only shared one conversation about Eren's life and family. Yet, even with the short time they had known each other, Eren already felt safe with him. He trusted that Levi would not hurt him, but he didn't understand why and because of that, he could not chase away all his reservations.

After two beats of a long silence, where Levi eyed his body with a hungry, expectant stare, Eren decided that he would give into his desire even if things may not turn out ideally. His lust was too far gone to turn back. Whatever this man was willing to give him, he would take.

Shaky hands tugged off the black t-shirt he was wearing. Dark gray eyes followed the dips and valleys of Eren's flat stomach as he arched to slip the shirt off and expose his torso. And with that gaze boring into him a bright flush chased down Eren's neck. He faltered in his movements working the button on his pants, looking away shyly. He felt small under the other's lustful looks.

Levi was behind him before he realized, leaving the bucket on the ground to dip his free palms into the waistband of Eren's boxers, giving his bare ass another good squeeze while pressing a kiss behind his ear. "So fucking sexy," he groaned low in the boy's ear. He took over the job of undressing Eren and pulled his pants the rest of the way down his legs. The boy's arousal sprang an embarrassing tent in his boxers, but Levi didn't seem to mind. His hands groped along the insides of Eren's thighs humming his approval deeply.

Eren was panting by the time Levi shed his body of his boxers, precum leaking from the tip of his cock. Levi paid the swollen erection no mind, pressing a chaste kiss to Eren's sun-kissed shoulder instead. "Settle down, baby boy." Eren groaned, and the older man nudged him towards the bed, laying him out on his stomach with care. The brunette's body was loose, letting the raven position him however he wanted. He didn't care; he would do anything that might bring him nearer to Levi's promise to make him feel good, whatever would get him closer to his release.

Eren wondered if the raven would protest if he were to take himself in hand and jerk off right there. He didn't get a chance to try though, distracted by a hot water-soaked towel Levi held to his back. The younger boy couldn't stop the loud moan which poured from his lips at the feeling of it. The brunette's muscles twitched reflexively in pleasure, the soothing heat of the touch was calming the sore muscles he had momentarily forgotten about amidst the sudden haze of lust. His toes curled as his eyes lidded involuntarily. If Eren had turned around at that moment, he would have seen a small smirk curling at the edge of Levi's mouth.

Levi smoothed the towel along Eren's caramel colored back, creating a thin film of suds as he went. "That's good. Mmm, just like that."

Eren's heart swelled with feelings of achievement when he heard the words, and he had to bite his lower lip to keep from grinning. He was embarrassed to let Levi know just how much the praise pleased him. He lost track of time as Levi washed his achy limbs with the hot towel. Sensuous movements of the hot towel were curving over the sore muscles of his calves, scrubbing the arches of his feet until they buzzed pleasantly. All Eren could do was stretch out longer on the bed, ignoring the uncomfortable friction of his arousal against the bed sheets. Right then, after a long-ass day, it was the best feeling in the world.

Periodically, he heard the towel dip back into the bucket, getting wrung out and filled with fresh warm water before being massaged over his body once more. Eren wasn't sure how much time passed. His aching arousal had gone down to half-mast as his more significant physical needs were sated. He sighed with contentment.

Eren breathed in the scent of fabric softener, his dopey, smiling face nestled in a downy pillow. Somewhere between Levi washing his torso and arms, he let go, allowing the sweet clutches of sleep to pull him under.

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A/N: I had a lot of fun writing the smut in this chapter. I hope you all liked it. I want to make a shout out to my new beta reader HeartQueenVivaldi. Thank you so much for fixing my dumb mistakes and providing feedback on my writing!

Please let me know what you all thought of this chapter.

Peace and Love,

~L


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan or any of its characters, nor do I make any profits of this fic.

* * *

 **Chapter Three: The Value of Being a Wanderer**

 _"And let me tell you something. That first morning, when you are in your country of choice, away from all of the conventions of atypical, everyday lifestyle, looking around at your totally new surroundings, hearing strange languages, smelling strange, new smells, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. You'll feel like the luckiest person in the world."_

 _― Rolf Potts, Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel_

* * *

Birds were chirping far off somewhere. Amidst his blissful dream, the faintly-heard strings of fluttered tweets teased him awake. Eren followed the bird sounds through the thick underbrush of his imagination. There was light breaking through the branches ahead. The left side of his face felt warm. He breathed in deeply. The scent of the air was different. It held a clean earthy smell with undertones of something surprising and completely unfamiliar.

Chestnut lashes blinked open, taking in the warm hues of the room.

Eren's wide, sleepy eyes tried to absorb the situation. Disparate flashes of the last few days playing in his mind's eye, only confusing him further. He had fought with Jean. There had been a long flight, fear, and anxiety.

Then, what? How did he get here? Eren's grasp of the situation was quickly slipping through his fingers like grains of sand. The red sheets of the bed he was laying in were glowing brightly from sunlight filtering in through a window. The shining arc of light was cast over a raven-headed man lounging casually beside him.

 _Levi_ , he remembered.

The same book from the night before was perched between the man's slender fingers as he leaned on the headboard of the bed. Eren paused, struggling to form a cogent thought he could turn into words. He could feel the smooth texture of the sheets on his skin, all over with no interruption from any bunching clothes. All he could sense was the awkward feeling of socks clinging to the tips of his toes, only barely on after a night of shifting around under the covers.

He was naked.

Holy shit, he was naked in bed with a gorgeous man.

"You're...still here?" His voice was a bit hoarse, gruff from lack of use.

Levi's mercury orbs flickered down at him. "Good morning to you too, brat."

"What–uh, no I just mean that after...um..." A dark eyebrow rose as Eren slowly began to realize what had happened the night before. "We didn't..."

Levi snorted. "Believe me; you would remember if we had."

"Oh..." Eren's face turned red. He buried his face in his pillow to hide his embarrassment. It smelled wonderful, like lavender. It must have been freshly cleaned. Now that he was looking around, the whole room was spotless. Much better than he had expected for how cheap the rates were.

Eren clutched his pillow around his head, fingering the fabric of the pillowcase. "But, um, you washed me."

Levi was looking away, but the brunette could still see the smug expression light up his face. "You bet your ass I did, filthy brat."

The insult should have stung, but instead, it felt like a pet name."It was...nice, like really nice. No one has ever done anything like that for me before."

"Hmmm." Levi's mouth curved almost imperceptibly.

Eren buried his nose in the pillow. "I just thought that you would..." _Should he ask? He probably shouldn't have started saying anything._

He put the book down beside him on the mattress and looked over at Eren pointedly. "That I would what?"

The brunette squirmed under the sharp gaze. "Um...n–nothing!" he stuttered.

Levi's eyes narrowed at the fidgeting boy.

Eren looked down at the bedsheets, avoiding eye contact. He knew his face was reddening by the warmth tingling in his cheeks and ears.

A gentle hand caught his chin, pulling his eyes back to look at Levi. The older man said nothing, though, the slight frown tugging at his lips spoke volumes to Eren's self-conscious mind. He flinched, eyes darting away once again.

 _I must not be very appealing_ , he thought. _That's why he didn't touch me._

"Hey…" Levi's voice came softer this time. He bit his lip, doubt keeping him from responding.

 _I probably turned him off with all my moaning._ Why did he have to be such a slut? Maybe if he had been quieter, Levi would still have wanted him.

Tears prickled at the corners of Eren's eyes. _God, I'm such an idiot._

"Eren." Levi's voice was firm, giving the younger boy no choice but to listen.

Eren looked up slowly, watery eyes blurring Levi's features. His lips wobbled as he resisted the urge to sob.

Cool fingers brushed along his cheekbones, wiping away stray tears that had already begun to fall.

"What's going on in that head of yours, brat?" Something in the raven's tone left no room for Eren to refuse him an answer.

"S–sorry, I just–I know I should have been quieter. I really like you, and I wasn't thinking, It just happened, but I don't have to be like that," Eren rambled. Taking a shaky breath, he realized he had just born his heart to the older man.

Levi's brows pinched together. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Huh?" Eren bit his lip. "Well, you didn't um..." His eyes darkened. "Last night, you didn't want me."

Levi's mouth fell open.

Eren saw the change in expression and panicked. Had he said the wrong thing? This was too much. The boy covered his face with his hands. It was bad enough that Levi hadn't wanted him the night before, but now he had pissed the guy off by complaining about it.

"Eren…"

Eren cringed at the sound of his name. He moved to crawl out of bed, needing to get out of there, away from this man, away from this guesthouse. He wanted to push the whole thing behind him as quickly as possible.

"Eren, wait."

The younger boy stifled another bubbling sob with his hand, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He started climbing out, but a firm grip on his hips halted his movements. Strong arms yanked him back into the bed. Eren froze as Levi's muscled body blanketed his, pushing him into the mattress.

"I said wait, brat." The raven's hot breath blew past his ear.

Eren shivered, feeling his arousal stiffening already. He knew Levi must have been able to feel it too, but he didn't show any outward evidence. Instead, the man caught his face once more, refusing Eren the ability to look away from his heated gaze. Their foreheads pressed together with an intimacy that sent Eren's heart racing. Levi's lips connected with his and Eren's mind swam as the raven deepened the kiss right away, dominating his mouth completely. Levi's tongue was forceful, leaving Eren to lose himself in the intensity of the kiss slowly. His hips ground up into Levi's, finding an equally stiff hardness there.

The raven's mouth strayed from Eren's lips, pressing wet kisses along his jaw before moving on to suck on the honeyed column of his neck.

Eren sealed his lips together as tightly as he could, swallowing every sound that threatened to break past his lips. Levi nibbled on his ear.

"Do you still think I don't want you?" Eren tried to respond, he really did, but it came out like a broken moan. "Hm, listen to me okay?" Levi rumbled into his ear.

Eren nodded dumbly.

"I want you, kid." The words were spoken clearly. Each syllable pronounced carefully.

Eren's breath hitched. He could feel the pull of the older man's grin against his neck. Large hands trailed down his sides, pressing in on his waist and dipping lower to squeeze handfuls of his ass. Eren tasted copper, biting his bottom lip too hard to stop himself from moaning.

"I'm going to make this ass mine," Levi growled, nipping gently along Eren's throat. "I'm going to work you slowly, stretch you all the way open for me." The raven tongued at one deeper bite mark he had left on Eren's skin apologetically. "Gonna finger you until you're begging for my cock. Then, I'll get you on your hands and knees and fuck you nice and slow, savor this ass until you're cumming all over yourself."

Eren's body shook in Levi's arms. He buried his nose in the raven's locks, doing his best to stifle the lewd sounds coming from his mouth. His brain was reeling from the things Levi was promising; he wanted it, all of it.

"Don't hide from me." Levi pushed Eren back by his shoulders, flat against the mattress, forcing his Carribean-green eyes to look at him directly. The older man traced the pad of his thumb over Eren's puffy lower lip, spotting a dot of crimson on his front teeth. Levi tugged the boy's bottom lip down to find the bite.

"Tch, why are you mutilating yourself?"

Eren licked his lips. "I…" The right words escaped him. Levi's expectant stare fixed in on him with a dark look. "Um...I was trying to be quiet l–like I said before."

Levi glared, and Eren squirmed under the weight of it. "Where the fuck did you get the shitty idea to do that?"

Eren's eyes stretched wide as he gaped at the man above him, pinned down in every way. His heart clenched, mouth opened to reply, then closed it again when his brain failed to supply anything.

Levi's glare softened fractionally. "Does it hurt when I touch you?" His voice was laden with concern.

"N–no!" Eren stammered.

"Then, why?"

"It's because my ex never like it when I was loud. He always told me I sounded like a whore whenever I did that." The brunette held his breath for Levi's response.

"That piece of shit."

Eren blinked. That was not what he had expected.

"Didn't he realize how sexy you are all worked up into a moaning panting mess? I barely stopped myself from fucking you last night even with you practically falling unconscious in my arms."

Eren's brain was having trouble keeping up with all the information Levi had supplied him with. Moaning wasn't bad? Levi hadn't fucked him because he had fallen asleep? So he did like him? Eren's heart sped with the prospects.

"Y–you like it?"

"Mhmm, yeah." Levi leaned in and caught Eren's bloodied lip between his teeth. He ran his tongue along the cut soothingly. "I like it."

It was okay. Levi wasn't mad. Eren hadn't done anything wrong… The brunette's shoulders sagged with relief; he breathed out slowly, missing the amused sparkle in Levi's eyes. The older man caught his lips again in a light-hearted kiss. His tongue curved over the roof of Eren's mouth. This time, the younger boy didn't hold back any of the sounds that wanted to fall from his lips, and he could feel the raven smile into their kiss.

"That's better, baby boy."

Eren felt light. His stomach fluttered at the praise, knowing he pleased the sexy man above him. The brunette let himself be molded by Levi's touch, sinking deep and melting at Levi's will. He was far away when a strange rumbling sound met his ears, and the raven paused over him.

Eren's lashes fluttered open; he couldn't even remember closing them.

The sound made itself known again, and this time Eren realized it was his stomach growling in hunger.

"Tch, looks like we need to get you some breakfast." The older man was off of him before Eren could find the sense to call him back. He wanted to tell him that his stomach could wait, that Eren needed something else more than any cheap guesthouse meal, but the mere thought had his neck burning hot in a flush, and Levi was already half dressed and motioning for Eren to follow.

While Eren stood up to get his clothes on, he spotted something familiar out of the corner of his eyes. His pack was nestled by a chair in the edge of the room. Only it wasn't his bag—was it? Its shape and design were identical to the Black Hole he had brought along with him, but its color was all wrong. The midnight black material looked like patent leather with its rainproof coating.

 _Just like mine…_

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone. I'm writing to you from a cafe' in Kyoto, Japan. I have officially begun working as an English teacher! This was my first extended vacation, so I flew out to Japan to see this city for the first time. I have to say that starting this job, and moving across the world for the year has to be the scariest thing I have ever attempted to do. And that is after having backpacked quite a bit. However, these days, when I wake up every morning to a country filled with new things to discover and learn, I find myself happier than I have ever been. I want to say thank you to everyone that has commented or given kudos to this fic. To all my fellow world travelers, and everyone reading this who has a secretly adventurous spirit, don't be afraid to live the way you always dreamed of.


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